M2 Old Cases Die Hard
by miss37
Summary: Sequel to "Sick Day". Mac is back on the job, but a ghost...or case from the past comes back to haunt him. Will he be able to solve it now that he is the prime suspect? Plus, another case pops up that stems from old cases.
1. Chapter 1

It had been six months since Mac's ordeal with being shot in the back and he was back at his job, but he felt a lot less depressed. He was glad to be alive and he was glad he had his friends working with him. They had all grown closer since his almost tragedy. Jo had asked him several times if he remembered anything that happened while he was in a coma. He had thought about it several times but he did not remember anything. He wondered what she was getting at. Whatever it was, she would not just come right out and say it. He had asked her to be specific but she just shrugged it off.

Today, Mac was heading for work and it was early in the morning as usual. He supposed he would be bored if he did not have anything to do. As he stepped out of his apartment building, he was almost run down by a bike messenger, and as he went by, he punched Mac in the eye. Mac hit the pavement hard but by the time he got up, he could not catch the guy. He groaned as he put his hand over his eye. That had been a hard punch. He tried to open his eye but it watered. He supposed he might have to stop off at the ER on his way to work now.

As Mac was walking into the lab, everyone could not help but notice his shiner. He just walked on to his office. He did not want to explain anything to anyone, but that would not happen with Jo around. She came to his office. "What is the world happened to you?" she asked.

Mac looked at her. "Some bike messenger came by and sucker punched me," Mac said.

Jo stared at Mac's black eye. "That just looks terrible."

"Thanks."

Jo folded her arms. "I mean it. That looks awful. Did you get a look at the guy?"

"No, it happened too fast. By the time I got up, he was gone."

"And just who would want to punch you like that?"

Mac raised his eyebrows. "You know how many people I have put in prison? They would probably all like to take a number."

"Did you go to the ER?"

"Yes, I did and they gave me some drops to put in it. There's not much you can do for a black eye."

"Are you just going to let this go?"

Mac looked at Jo. "Just drop it. I don't want to talk about it. It's over and I don't have the slightest idea who did it."

That evening, they got a call about a murder at the subway. Mac and Jo went out to the Avalanche and headed down there. "So much for our date," Jo said.

"I guess we can take a rain check on that," Mac replied.

"You better believe we will. I'm ready to go out and have some fun."

"I thought you went out and had fun all the time with Ellie."

"Oh, Mac, sometimes, I need adult companionship and adult conversation. Just because I'm a mother doesn't mean I'm not human or an adult anymore."

Mac looked at her. "I'm sorry. I know that. I guess I just don't ever think of you being lonely."

"I am." Jo sighed slightly. "Since Russ died, I'm even lonelier. I never thought I would miss him if he was gone out of my life for good, but Mac, I do. I wish I could tell him that now."

Mac scowled. He had never heard Jo talk like this. She always seemed to be happy and full of life. "I guess we all have things we regret," he said for nothing better to say.

"I guess. I shouldn't have been so mean to Russ. I know he was overbearing but maybe I was too." Jo looked at Mac. "When I think about it, I do think he loved me."

Mac looked at her. "I'm pretty sure he did," he said. "It was easy to see by the way he looked at you."

Jo folded her arms. "Wow, this is quite a conversation."

Mac smiled. "You just have to get some things off your chest sometimes, I guess."

"That's true."

They soon arrived at the subway station…or the bottom of it is what it seemed. "Hey," Don said as Mac and Jo walked in.

"What have we got?" Mac asked.

They followed Don to a subway car that looked like everyone had used it for a garbage bin. "My goodness," Jo said. "Don't people know what a garbage can is for?"

"I'm beginning to wonder," Don said.

The victim was sitting up on one of the benches in the subway car. "A woman was about to get on the train and saw the guy sitting here like that," Don said. He looked at Mac, noticing his shiner. "What happened to you?"

"Never mind that," Mac said. "Let's get to this guy."

"This guy is frozen solid," Don said. "That's why he's sitting up like that."

Mac stared at the victim and his mouth dropped open. Jo looked at Mac. "You okay?" she asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost. You know this guy?"

"I knew someone who looked like him a few years ago but I lost track of him," Mac said.

Jo continued to take pictures. "He had a money clip in his pocket," Don said. "I guess that leaves out robbery as a motive. He had about a thousand dollars in it. Name's Justin Davis. I ran him through the system. This guy has done time for assaults, Mac." He looked at Mac. "You knew him?"

"I don't see any wounds on the body," Mac said as he was examining the victim. He looked at the victim's wrist. "Looks like his wristwatch is missing. He has a tan line." He looked at the ring on the victim's hand. "A skull ring and it looks like there's blood on it. Also has something on the bottom of his shoe."

Jo took pictures of everything and then they collected the evidence. "Get this guy to Sid and find out who put him on ice," Mac said.

Mac and Jo headed back to the lab. "You knew that guy?" Jo asked.

"A long time ago," Mac replied. He did not want to discuss with her how he knew the guy.

They arrived at the lab and Mac went to his office to start his report. Jo checked the evidence in and went to her office, looking in at Mac as she passed by his office. Mac glanced up at her. It was none of her business how he knew that guy. Besides, it was a long time ago and he did not have to explain anything. He had not seen that guy in years and he could not say he "knew" him anymore.

When Mac had his report written, he went down to the morgue to see what Sid had found. He was standing beside the victim when Sid came into the room. "Thawing will take a while," Sid said. He looked at Mac. "With the cold stare you're giving him, he may never thaw."

Mac looked at Sid. "You and I both know that Justin Davis deserved a death like this…and I would never say that lightly."

"Maybe you should take yourself off the case, Mac."

"Are you kidding? I want to catch the guy who murdered him…and thank him."

"I know you don't mean that."

"What do you have?" Mac asked with a sigh.

"There are no wounds that would have caused his death but the marks on his wrists and ankles suggest he was bound tight with handcuffs on the wrists and rope on the ankles. There are also marks on his shoulders and upper torso that suggest he was dragged after death."

"So do you know how he died?" Mac asked.

"Yes, the petechial hemorrhaging in his eyes suggest that he died of asphyxiation. There was no trauma around the neck, so I'm thinking he was suffocated directly on the nose and mouth."

"Thanks. I'm going to see if anything turned up in the lab from that ring."

Sid watched Mac leave the morgue. He remembered how long Mac had worked on that case. It had been years ago but Sid had been here when Mac worked that case. Of course, he was not the head of the morgue at the time but he had been with Mac during that case. It had been an ugly case.

Mac went up to the lab where Lindsey was analyzing evidence. "Hi, Mac," she said. "Rough day?"

"Don't even ask," Mac said. "What have you got for me?"

"Where do we start?"

"That much, huh?"

"Yes. I got some skin cells from the ring. The DNA analysis is just finishing."

Mac and Lindsey looked at the DNA results. They were both shocked at the result. "That can't be right," Lindsey said as she looked at Mac.

Mac stared at the result unable to speak. "Roll up your sleeve," Lindsey said.

Mac looked at her. "Why?"

"I want to draw some blood and do this comparison again."

"I've got nothing to hide."

Jo walked in just as Lindsey was drawing blood from Mac's arm. Jo folded her arms as she looked at the DNA analysis that was lying on the counter. She looked at Mac. "Are you serious?" she asked.

"Don't even start," Mac said.

"A DNA match with your banged up face is going to bring some questions, Mac."

Mac stared at her a moment. "And just what kind of questions would that be?" he asked.

"Ones that I would never want to ask you, so I'll ask you if this guy is the bike messenger who cleaned your clock this morning," Jo said.

"I don't know. It happened so fast I…it could be him but I have some leads to follow if you don't mind."

"Mac, this is not going away. Soon this will be in the hands of people who won't mind asking those other questions."

"Just give me twenty-four hours. I'm going over to Davis' apartment to sort this out."

"You better know what you're doing."

"I do and I'll take Danny with me."


	2. Chapter 2

Mac and Danny arrived at the victim's apartment. "You're telling me that your DNA was found on the ring?" Danny asked.

"Yes," Mac said. "But we have to find some more evidence for this case because I did not kill that guy."

They went into the apartment building and got the super to open the door. "Looks like the murder might have taken place in the living room," Danny said as they were looking at the ransacked room. He looked at the door. "No signs of forced entry."

"Let's look around," Mac said.

They searched around the living room and Mac went into the bedroom. He saw something under the bed. "There's something under the bed here," he said. "I can't reach it." He looked for something to reach it with and found a fireplace poker. He reached under the bed and got the tissue with the poker. "There."

"Well, unless our murderer had the sniffles, it probably won't give us anything," Danny said. He squatted as he noticed what looked like tire treads on the floor and took pictures. "Why would there be tire treads in this apartment?"

Mac found a rope. "Sid said the victim was tied with rope around the ankles." He stared at the rope. "There's something on it."

"Looks like someone tied him up here," Danny said.

Mac examined the chair that was sitting there in the living room. "There's something here," he said. He got the tweezers and picked up the small piece. "An eyelash."

"Probably male…no mascara," Danny said as he looked at the eyelash. "The victim is blonde so it's not his. We'll let Lindsey run this."

Danny found a torn up note. "Hmmm," he said as he moved the pieces into place. "A neighbor, Doris. Says she is sick and tired of his noise keeping her up at night and she has asked him several times to keep it down."

"Wow, she is not in his fan club. I'll bet she has plenty to tell. Let's go next door and see if she's home," Mac said.

"Have fun," Danny said. "I've got a mountain of paperwork."

Mac went next door to the neighbor's apartment and knocked. A woman answered the door. "I don't want any," she said.

Mac showed her his badge. "I'm Detective Mac Taylor," he said. "I'm investigating a murder. I'd like to ask you about your neighbor, Justin Davis."

"What?" Doris asked. "Did he break another floozy's heart? He never had the same girl twice. My living room wall is his bedroom wall so I heard more than I wanted to hear. Then a few weeks ago, he started up and then something was different and it's been quiet ever since."

"What do you mean 'different'?" Mac asked.

"Well, not like one of his usual Marathon nights. His bed was bumping around for about a half hour but it was real quiet, not like usual."

"You remember how long ago that was?"

"Maybe four or five weeks. The landlord came by knocking when he missed the rent."

"So if that guy was murdered then…where was he all that time?"

"Well, I've slept better this month than all the two years I've lived next to the guy."

"You wrote this note?" Mac asked as he showed her the torn up note.

"You better believe I did…and probably a hundred others."

"Thanks for your time."

Mac went down to the subway station and found Jason Miller, the caretaker of the subway. "Howdy, Mac," Jason said.

"Hi, Jason," Mac replied. "Just wondering how someone could drag a dead, frozen body onto a train and no one sees it."

"Believe me, we're trying to figure that one out, Mac. We're guessing they did it in one of the tunnels or it would be on tape at the station."

"How do you get someone into the sixth without someone seeing?"

"Sixth? Our trains only have five that time of night. How do you add a car without equipment?"

"I guess I am looking for more than one person in this murder."

"Had to have some help."

"I need a map of all the side tunnels and turnarounds."

"Come with me. I'll get you one but it might not be too clear."

They went to Jason's office where the map was. They looked at the map. "The car was housed there for repairs for a while," Jason said. "Could have happened there. No cameras there."

"Thanks, Jason."

"Don't mention it."

Mac went to the subway tunnel to take a look around. He knew someone had been living in the tunnel from the stuff that was lying around. There was a sleeping bag, a lantern, and an empty whiskey bottle. While Mac was there, someone arrived "home". He just stared at Mac and did not say anything. "I'm Detective Mac Taylor," Mac said moving his hand close to his weapon. "You got a name?"

"J.Z.," the man replied. He had long dreadlocks and a hat on his head along with a dirty-looking white shirt and a jacket with torn jeans. "What's it to you? I don't have no warrants on me."

"You live here?"

"I don't have time for all you 'top-siders' who come down here. I'm sick of visitors."

"Someone been down here recently?" Mac asked.

"I may not live above ground but I know nothin's free."

"You are in no positions to negotiate," Mac said sternly.

"Well, I still don't have nothin' to say to you. I don't have time for you."

"Don't have time? That's funny. That's a pretty fancy watch you're sporting there."

"My grandma's real generous. Get lost."

"Give me that watch or I'll have some of my guys move you into the forty-ninth street homeless shelter."

"Fine. Take it." J.Z. took the watch off and gave it to Mac. "My grandma will beat you with a stick if I don't get that back."

Mac looked at the watch. "How come it's engraved with 'J.D.' on the back?" he asked.

"So, grandma got one letter off," J.Z. said. "Big deal."

Mac showed J.Z. a picture of the victim. "You seen that guy?"

"Maybe, but I'm not good with faces."

Mac showed him a picture of the skull ring. "What about this?"

"I wish grandma had given me that instead of the watch. Can I go now?"

"You're in possession of a murder victim's watch," Mac said. "I have to take you in."

Mac took J.Z. back to the precinct for questioning. He went into the interrogation room after he gathered his files. J.Z. was waiting. Mac sat down at the table. "Jamaica Zambrano," he said. He looked at the man. "Something happened in those tunnels last night. Start talking or I'm going to think you were in on this murder."

"Man, I ain't murdered nobody. Some woman's been snooping around scoping out the place and she ain't no MTA. She offered a bunch of us twenty bucks each if we pushed an old subway car onto the track for her."

"What did the woman look like?" Mac asked.

"I didn't get a good look at her. You know how dark it is down there. I could see that she had long, red hair and a dark coat, and I think she had a scarf over her face. She gave me the watch cause I helped organize everyone. Her partner didn't help at all."

"What partner?" Mac asked. "What did he look like?"

"He just sat there in the train staring at us. It was kinda freaky."

Mac showed him the victim's driver's license which was in an evidence bag. "Is that him?" he asked.

"Yeah," J.Z. answered. "He never even blinked."

"Was he wearing the ring?"

"Yeah. Can I go now?"

"Yes. You've helped a lot. Thanks."

"Whatever."

Mac went back up to the lab where Sheldon was working, since Lindsey had to go home for the night. "You got anything, Sheldon?" Mac asked.

"I've been working on the evidence you found," Sheldon said. "I have analyzed the tissue from under the vic's bed. There was a good DNA sample. You're not going to like the results."

Mac scowled. "Why?"

Sheldon gave Mac the report form. "Because it was yours, Mac," he said quietly. "What's going on?"

Mac stared at the report. "I don't know." He looked at Sheldon. "You know I didn't murder Davis."

Sheldon blew out a breath. "Somebody sure is spending a lot of time to make it look like you did," he said. He got another report. "The tire treads in the apartment were made by a wheelchair. I guess that may be how the body was carried from the apartment. The eyelash results…" Sheldon looked at Mac as he looked at the results. "It's yours, Mac. The leg hair from the rope belonged to Justin Davis." The blood from the ring is definitely yours."

As Mac was leaving the lab, Jo met him in the hall. She folded her arms. Mac blew out a breath. "I need answers, Mac," Jo said.

"I don't have any, Jo," Mac replied.

"Mac, that is not a good enough answer." She loved closer to him. "I found out that you and Davis have a history. He was the prime suspect in your first case as a CSI. Why didn't you tell me?"

Mac looked around them. "Yeah, my first case…a failure…a guy who should have been found guilty but I couldn't prove it."

Jo shook her head. "Oh, Mac."

"He raped a young woman named Amanda Ross. It was a case of date rape. I couldn't find the evidence to convict him."

Jo could hear the anger in Mac's voice. "Mac you have been placed at the crime scene by that tissue and your blood is on his ring," she declared.

"You know I didn't kill him," Mac said. "Just give me time to prove it."

"Mac, you know I believe you but you shouldn't be working this case."

"I'm not leaving this case," Mac declared with a glare.

Jo folded her arms. "If you stay on it, you know what can happen."

"I'm not analyzing evidence." Mac looked at the post-thaw scan of Davis. "The decay is faster than normal. This means that he was frozen a long time." He looked at Jo. "There's no way he could have punched e yesterday, Jo."

Jo looked at the results. "What do we do?" she asked.

"His neighbor said he was gone a month ago." He thought a moment. "I have to talk to Amanda Ross."

"The rape victim?"

Mac looked at her. "I don't like it anymore than you do but who else would want him dead?"

"I'm going with you then."


	3. Chapter 3

Mac and Jo went down to the Avalanche and headed for the Ross's house. "Mac, I know this is bothering you," Jo said.

"Yes, it bothers me that the guy got away with raping that girl," Mac replied. "Just like it bothered you that John Curtis got away with rape."

Jo had to admit that case had haunted her for years. She had been glad to come to New York and then the guy showed up here. "I guess we all have them."

"I guess we do."

They arrived at the Ross's house and went to the door. Mac knocked on the door, feeling nervous, not knowing what to expect. He hated the idea of accusing this woman of murder after what that guy did to her.

The door opened and Pamela Ross, Amanda's mother, was there. She stared at Mac a moment and then frowned. "What do you want?" she asked with contempt.

"I need to talk to Amanda," Mac said.

"She wants nothing to do with you! She has tried to put that nightmare behind her, but you keep coming around to bring it all back!"

"Mrs. Ross, it's important that we talk to her," Jo said.

"It better be important. I shouldn't let you near her, but wait here."

Mac and Jo looked around the living room while Mrs. Ross went to get Amanda. Mac noticed two passports on the table in the living room as well as an adoption book. He noticed a bag of coffee on the kitchen bar and a diploma on the wall as well as an oxygen tank in the corner.

Soon, Amanda Ross came into the living room. She had long brown hair and brown eyes, a very pretty woman. "Hi, Detective Taylor," she said. "Sorry about my mom. I used to have anger toward you but I realized it wasn't your fault. Why are you here?"

"I'm probably the last person you or your mother wanted to see again but I have to talk to you," Mac said.

"Mom moved in with me and my husband after Dad died. It's been hard on her. She had been very angry at you," Amanda said.

"I've been pretty angry at myself too."

"I think I hated you more than the man who raped me but I realized that was just crazy."

"I never gave up on trying to get Justin Davis. I never nailed him but someone else did."

Jo realized Mac got a little satisfaction out of telling Amanda that. "What do you mean?" Amanda asked.

"Justin Davis was murdered," Mac said.

Jo stared at Mac as she heard that hint of satisfaction in his voice. She thought this case must have really haunted him. Amanda was stunned. "I don't know what to say," she said. "Or how to feel."

"I noticed your degree," Jo said trying to lighten the mood a bit.

"I counsel battered women. It's very rewarding."

"I'll bet it is. I noticed the oxygen tank."

"My dad was sick a long time. He died three months ago."

"Is this a special blend of coffee," Mac asked referring to the package of coffee on the table.

"That's organic coffee from Brazil. My mom owns a bistro called 'The Generous Pour'," Amanda replied.

Jo noticed an adoption brochure on the table. "Are you looking to adopt?" she asked.

"Yes," Amanda answered. "I can't have children because of the attack but I want to be a mom."

"Adoption is wonderful. I have an adopted daughter and she is just like my own flesh and blood."

Mac pointed out the passports. "Are you planning a trip?" he asked.

"My husband and I just got back this morning. We had never had a proper honeymoon, he said, so we went to Costa Rica for two weeks. Two weeks of heaven."

Amanda was quiet a moment remembering Justin Davis. "He wore that ugly skull ring," she said. "Hideous. I have to say I'm glad he's dead." She sighed. "I have bad days sometimes but maybe this news will help."

"I'm glad you're doing okay," Mac said. "I have to get back to the lab."

"Thanks."

Mac and Jo left the house. "You didn't ask her the hard question," Jo said.

"What question was that?" Mac asked.

Jo looked at Mac. "Where she was the night he disappeared."

"She's been gone for two weeks, Jo."

Jo followed Mac out to the Avalanche and they went back to the lab. Sheldon met them at the lab door. "Mac," he said. "Something you want to see."

Mac and Jo went into the lab. "The analysis of the substance you found on Davis' shoe was coffee," Sheldon said.

Mac scowled. "Coffee?"

"I'm trying to narrow down the type now." Sheldon finished the analysis while Mac and Jo waited. "South American coffee. It had no traces of pesticides so it's probably organic. Does that help?"

Mac stared at the result and looked at Jo. "I'd say so," he said.

"How about some coffee this morning?" Jo asked.

Mac looked at his watch. "I don't mind if I do," he replied. "Let's get some more reports done and by then it will be morning."

"Okay."

"I know a bistro we can try," Mac said. He looked at Sheldon. "Thanks."

Mac and Jo turned to leave the lab. Don Flack was coming that way. "Mac, I need to talk to you," Don said.

"Not now, Don," Mac said. "I think I know who might be behind this murder."

"Mac, the chief is about to be breathing down your neck. You know…"

"Yes, I know but this is me we're talking about."

Don sighed. "Where are you headed?" he asked.

"We're going to get some reports done and then we're going for coffee," Jo said. "Like to join us with a warrant?"

Don scowled. "Sure."

Jo gave him the name of the bistro and the address. "Get a warrant and meet us there at seven a.m.," she said.

Don looked at Jo. "We're all sticking our necks out," he said.

"How many times has he stuck his neck out?" Jo asked.

Don looked at Mac heading to his office. "I know. I'll be there."

Mac and Jo worked on reports and Mac even got a little sleep in his office and the next morning, they went to the bistro at opening time. Don arrived not long after they did with the warrant. They went inside where Pamela Ross was at the counter. She was angry and surprised to see them. "What are you doing here?" she asked angrily. "You're not welcome here."

Don showed her the warrant. "This gives me the right to be anywhere," he said. "We're searching this place."

Pamela was angry but she could do nothing. Don watched her while Mac and Jo began their search. Jo found a duffle bag under one of the counters. Mac stared at it. "That looks like the bag the bike messenger had when he clobbered me," he said.

"Funny that is would be here," Jo said. She threw a curious look toward Pamela Ross as she put the bag in an evidence bag.

Mac found a set of keys on a key rack behind the counter. There was a tag that said "van". He looked at Pamela. "You have a catering van?" Mac asked.

Pamela folded her arms. "Of course," she spat.

Mac and Jo looked at the picture on the wall. "The guy in the wheelchair is your late husband," Mac said and looked at Pamela. "Right?"

"Yes," Pamela answered.

Mac turned to Pamela. "I want a look at that van," he said. He looked at Don. "Keep an eye on her."

Jo followed Mac out to the alley behind the bistro. Sure enough, there was a van there. "You better let me do this," Jo said.

Mac stared at her. "I'm helping," he said. Just then, his phone rang. He looked at it. "The chief. We don't have much time." He ignored the call.

"Oh, Mac," Jo whispered. "Let's hurry."

They went over to the van and unlocked it. Mac opened the back door of the van after they dusted for prints and took pictures. They took pictures of the inside of the van where they found a disassembled wheelchair. There was a compartment in the floor of the van. Mac used the screwdriver that was there to open the compartment to reveal a red wig and two sets of handcuffs.

"Well, that's something you see in a catering van every day," Jo said sarcastically as she took pictures.

"There's blood on these cuffs," Mac said. He took a sample from both sets.

Just then, Don and Pamela came out the back door. "What are you doing in my van?" Pamela asked.

Mac held up the wig and the cuffs. "Finding some very interesting things," he said.

"You're coming downtown to answer some questions," Jo said.

"I'm not afraid of you," Pamela replied bitterly.

"This stuff has to go to the lab," Mac said. He looked at Don. "Arrest her on suspicion of murder."

Don turned to Pamela and took his cuffs off his belt. "You're under arrest for suspicion of murder," he began…


	4. Chapter 4

Lindsey was back at the lab now that it was morning. She ran the analysis of the blood from the cuffs and it was a match to Justin Davis. The treads from the wheelchair in the van matched the tread marks in the victim's apartment, and the coffee from the bistro matched the sample from the crime scene.

Pamela Ross was in interrogation when Mac and Jo came in. "It's about time you got here!" Pamela exploded. "I have a business to run! You think I came up with some revenge plan against you?"

"That's exactly what I think," Mac said as he sat down.

"All the evidence is against you," Jo pointed out.

"That jerk deserved to die," Pamela said. "You probably even agree with that, Detective Taylor. He was less than human and got what he deserved, but not from me. I could never kill someone."

"Even after what he did to your daughter?" Jo asked. "That must have made you so angry. I know it would me. And then, when he got away with it, there were two people in this world that you hated more than anyone…the guy who raped your daughter and the guy who let him get away with it." Jo leaned on the table. "You thought you could kill two birds with one stone, didn't you?"

Mac and Jo could see the rage in Pamela's eyes just under the surface. "I did not kill him!" Pamela exclaimed.

"A witness said a woman with long, red hair was in the subway tunnel," Mac said. He laid the bag with the red wig in it on the table.

Pamela stared at it. "What woman doesn't own a wig?" she asked. "I kept it in case didn't have time to do my hair."

Mac gave her a skeptical look. "Hidden in a compartment with handcuffs that just happened to have the victim's blood on them?"

"Not to mention the subway map we found in the van," Jo added.

"So I have a subway map. Do you know where every train goes?" Pamela asked.

"There was also coffee dust on Davis' shoes that matches coffee dust from inside your van," Mac said.

"And a disassembled wheelchair that has treads that match those in the victim's apartment," Jo said.

"I use that wheelchair to lug heavy coffee bags," Pamela said.

Jo shook her head. "Come on."

"You might as well not make excuses," Mac said.

"Yes, I framed you! It was easy! I followed you and grabbed one of your tissues when you had that cold and that was all I needed! I was glad to suffocate the life out of that lowlife with a plastic bag."

"And that's all we need," Jo declared. She leaned on the table. "The charges against Davis might not have stuck, but these sure will."

Pamela stared at Mac. "Karma will get you! You let that rapist go free while my daughter suffered!"

Mac and Jo gathered their evidence and left the interrogation room. "Don't let her get to you," Jo said.

Mac looked at her. "It's behind me now," he said and walked away.

Jo stared after him. She had never seen him so smug. "Hey, Mac, wait up!" she said. She caught up with him at the elevator. "What about dinner tonight?"

Mac yawned. "I think we need some rest," he said.

"Tomorrow then?"

Mac nodded. "Sure." He looked at Jo and scowled. "Do you own a wig?"

Jo stared at him with an amused look. "Mac Taylor. What kind of question is that?"

"Well, she said every woman owns a wig."

Jo narrowed her eyes at Mac. "Well, that is none of your business," she said. "Do you think I need one?"

Mac cleared his throat. "No." He got into the elevator.

Jo got in with him and folded her arms. "I'm surprised at you," she said. "You ask me if I have a wig! Of all things."

"I'm sorry," Mac said. "I just…"

"Oh, something finally aroused your curiosity."

Mac looked at her. "What is that supposed to mean?" he asked.

"You're so thick but something finally got you to wondering."

"Oh please. You just want to start something."

"I sure do."

Mac gave her a curious look. "Where are we going for dinner?" he asked.

"I told you, I'm going to decide but it is going to be a fun place," Jo said.

Mac put his hands in his pockets. "So…do you have a wig?" he asked.

Jo's mouth dropped open. "You scoundrel."

Mac smiled. "You're funny."

"Oh am I?"

"Yeah. You like to see what all you can find out about me but I can't find out anything about you."

"That's different."

Mac looked at her. "Why is that different?" he asked.

"It just is. We women have to keep secrets."

Mac stared at her a moment. "What if I want to keep some?"

"You're entitled to one."

"One?"

"Yes. Otherwise I have to know everything."

Mac scowled. "Why?"

"Well, if we're going to start dating, I want to know everything about you."

Mac looked surprised. "Dating? Who said we are starting to date?"

Jo folded her arms. "Well, what do you think tomorrow night will be?"

"Dinner between friends?"

"Oh Mac, come on. We both need some adventure in our lives."

The elevator doors opened and they walked out into the lab. Jo followed Mac to his office. Mac sat down at his desk and looked at Jo. "You're going to consider this a…date?" he asked.

"Sure," Jo replied. "Why not?" She sat down on the couch. "I just want to ask you something."

Mac noticed a serious tone. "Okay."

"Are you sure you don't remember anything that happened while you were in a coma?" Jo asked.

Mac was wondering why she kept asking him that. "Why don't you just tell me what you want me to remember?" he asked.

Jo smiled. "You might think I've lost my mind and put me out of this lab," she said.

Mac stared at her a moment. "Just tell me."

Just then, Mac saw the chief come out of the elevator. "Uh oh," he said. "Looks like that will have to wait."

Jo looked around and saw the chief coming. She looked at Mac. "You want me to stay?" she asked.

"No, you might not want to hear what we say."

Jo stood up and so did Mac as Chief Sinclaire arrived at the office. "I've got a bone to pick with you, Taylor," he said as he came in. He looked at Jo. "I'll talk to you later."

Jo left the office and headed to her own office. Sinclaire looked at Mac. "Why didn't you answer me when I called you this morning?" he asked.

Mac blew out a breath. "Chief…"

"Before you answer that question, I want you to answer this one: why did you work on a case that was personal to you? You knew this guy and yet you went right on with the case!"

Mac knew he was in for a reaming. "Chief, I didn't want to get off the case," he said. "I wanted to figure out who killed the guy and we did."

"Taylor, you know that this case has a chance of being thrown out because you investigated it with a personal agenda!" Sinclaire leaned on Mac's desk. "If I knew you did that on purpose…"

Mac frowned. "Do you really think I would endanger a case for personal reasons?" he asked.

"You're human just like everyone else, Taylor. What I think doesn't matter. You can expect some repercussions for this."

Mac looked at him. "We solved the case, Chief. Jo was with me the whole time and Danny was with me. I even found the evidence that could have convicted me! Do you really think I would try to convict myself?"

"Some might say that was your clever CSI way of making it look like a frame."

"But Pamela Ross confessed."

Sinclaire shook his head. "You know how all this can go and how it looks," he said. "You have taken a lot of people off of cases. You should have taken yourself off that case."

"I didn't want to, Chief."

"You're going to have to answer for it too. I'm just warning you."

Mac watched the chief leave. He looked at the folder on Justin Davis. He did not care. At least that piece of trash was off the street.


	5. Chapter 5

That evening, Mac went home. He yawned as he went into his apartment. He had been trying more to get rest lately and he usually got sleepy in the evenings. He supposed everyone needed to go home and sleep, even him. He used to try to stay awake all the time and be at the lab at all hours because he hated sleeping and his sleep was not peaceful even when he wanted to sleep. He figured that was because he had such a big lack of sleep. Now that he got more sleep, he did not dream so much. His brain did not have so much to contemplate now.

Mac got a shower and got ready for bed. Then he went into the kitchen and got a bottle of water. He drank the water and then got into bed. He lay there and thought about going out with Jo. That kinda made him nervous. He wondered what she expected out of this date. He supposed she had told him what she wanted out of it: companionship, adult conversation, fun. He needed all those things too. He scowled as he thought of how she kept asking him if he remembered anything while he was in a coma. He thought about that. The only thing he remembered was waking up with Lindsey beside him. He barely remembered that because he had been so groggy. He certainly did not remember anything else. She had not told him what she was trying to get him to remember either. He did not even remember being shot or crawling to a phone. He remembered going into the pharmacy and finding the pharmacist and he remembered that girl's face who shot him. He certainly remembered that…but he did not remember anything else. Maybe they could talk about that when they went on their date.

It was the next night and Mac was getting ready for his date with Jo. He was wearing a light blue long-sleeved t-shirt and jeans. They were lucky they did not have a case to work on. He went into the living room and looked at his watch. He would have enough time to go and pick her up. He went down to his Avalanche and headed over to Jo's apartment. He thought it would be a lot of fun to go out with Jo. She was not afraid to smile or to laugh. He had to admit that she was charming and beautiful in her own way.

Mac arrived at Jo's apartment building and went up to the right floor. He straightened his jacket and then knocked on the door. Ellie opened the door. She smiled at Mac. "Hi, Detective Taylor," she said. "Come on in."

Mac went in. "Have a seat," Ellie said. "Mom will be out soon."

Mac sat down on the sofa and Ellie sat down in a chair. "I was wondering when Mom was going to ask you out," she said. "She talks about you all the time."

Mac stared at her a moment. "Are you just trying to embarrass your mother or is that true?" he asked.

"Oh, it's true. I wasn't surprised when she said she was going out with you."

"Oh really? Well, I have to admit I was surprised when she asked me out."

"Of course. She would never want you to know that she has a big crush on you."

Just then, Jo walked into the living room. "Ellie," she said. "What are you doing?"

Mac stood up. "We were just talking," he said.

Jo folded her arms as she looked at Ellie with a mock-angry look. Ellie laughed. "Hey, he has a right to know the truth," she said.

"I'm going to remember that," Jo said.

Mac chuckled at their exchange. Ellie went to her room. Jo looked at Mac. "What all did she tell you?" she asked.

"Oh, not much," Mac said with a mischievous grin.

"Don't you believe a word of it."

"I think that was a very reliable source."

Jo put her sweater on and then looked at Mac. "I should know, shouldn't I?" she asked.

"Probably," Mac replied.

"Good night, Ellie," Jo called. "You little squealer."

They could hear Ellie laughing from her room. "Good night, Mom. I won't wait up!"

Jo put her hands on her hips and then turned and went out the door. "I'm going to have a talk with that girl," she said.

Mac was almost laughing as he followed her to the elevator. Jo pressed the down button and looked at Mac. "You're just enjoying all this, aren't you?" she asked.

"Of course," Mac replied. He smiled as Jo walked into the elevator. He got in and pressed the Lobby button. "So where are we going?"

"We're going to a little bar and grill that I found," Jo said. "We're going to have one of those juicy, mouth-watering steaks."

"Mmm, sounds good," Mac replied. "Where is this place?"

"I'll show you."

They went out to Mac's Avalanche and headed for the restaurant. "I don't think I've been to the 'Bull's Eye'," Mac said.

"I like to try everything just once," Jo said.

"Well, there are some places you shouldn't try. I have eaten in a couple of places that seemed like the cooked everything in lard and soaked it in grease and you feel like you are carrying rocks in your stomach."

"Why did you eat it?"

"Well, I paid for it."

"Oh, please. If I don't like something, I get up and walk out."

"I didn't eat much of it but I ate too much, I guess."

"If there's one thing I don't like, it is lard."

They were quiet a moment. Mac looked at Jo. "I'm glad you asked me to go out tonight," he said.

Jo smiled. "Like I said, everyone needs to have some fun."

"You know what they say…it takes more muscles to frown than to smile."

Jo's smile grew wider. "So give your face a rest." She laughed.

"Do I frown that much?"

"You're so serious."

Mac smiled. "I have to be serious. It comes with the job."

"But everyone has to laugh and have fun sometimes. You can be serious and be happy too."

Mac considered that. "I suppose but if you smile too much, people think you're lax."

"Not you. They know that smile can fade any moment and you'll be their boss again."

"Oh really?"

"Yes."

They soon arrived at the restaurant. Mac did not think he had been here before. "I hope this place is clean," he said.

"Oh Mac, don't try to put any cold water on this," Jo said. She grabbed his arm. "Let's go."

They went inside. Mac was bombarded by wonderful smells when they walked in the door. The place was dimly lighted and seemed friendly and cozy. "We just find our own table," Jo said. "Let's sit back here."

They went to a table in the back corner and sat down. Mac touched the table and to his surprised it did not feel greasy. It actually felt clean. There was a small white lamp in the middle of the table that highlighted Jo's face enough that Mac could see how pretty she was. Jo stared at Mac in the dim light. She thought his eyes would show that intenseness no matter what kind of light he was in.

"Don't you just love it?" Jo asked.

"It's nice so far," Mac replied.

"Nice? It's great." Jo went over to the jukebox and turned on some music.

Mac listened as the music came on which was a country song. "This is one place in New York where I can hear Country music," Jo said as she sat back down.

"There's something for everyone," Mac replied.

Soon, a waitress came to their table with two menus. "What'll you have to drink?" she asked.

Jo looked at Mac. He expected her to order a beer but she ordered sweet tea. Mac could not remember the last time he drank tea so he ordered one too. The waitress left to get their drinks. "You can get sweet tea here too," Jo said. "And lemonade. Oh! This place is the South in New York."

Mac smiled. "So that's why you come here?" he asked.

"Of course. When I found this place, I knew I would be coming back. The owner is from Mississippi."

"Really? Well, I guess that just wraps it up, doesn't it?"

"Absolutely."

Mac looked at the menu. "I think I'm going to eat a steak," he said. "That's what I was thinking of eating with you talking about that and then I smelled it when I came in the door."

"Mmm, just makes your mouth water, doesn't it?" Jo asked.

"Yeah."

The waitress soon came back and they ordered. Mac sipped the tea which was very good. He looked at Jo. "This is good," he said.

Jo took a big sip of hers. "Just wonderful," she said.

Mac leaned on the table. "What have you been asking me about while I was in a coma?" he asked. "What are you wanting me to remember?"

Jo stared at Mac a moment. "Should we really talk about this on our first date?" she asked.

Mac paused a moment. First? "You're always asking me if I remember anything," he said. "I want you to tell me what you're talking about."

Jo sipped her tea again. "While you were in a coma, some strange things happened in that hospital," she said.

"Like what?"

Jo was not sure she wanted to tell Mac that. "Well, when I was getting a cup of coffee…" She looked at Mac. "I felt like you were trying to get my attention."

Mac scowled. "What do you mean?" he asked curiously.

"Mac, when I was fixing a cup of coffee in the waiting room…" Jo looked at Mac with an amused look on her face. "I think I should just keep it to myself."

"No, I want you to tell me," Mac said. He leaned on the table. "The Styrofoam cups fell over three times."

Jo stared at Mac as her mouth fell open. "You do remember," she said.

Mac looked down at the table. "I think I'm starting to," he said.

Jo leaned on the table. "I saw her and I was trying to get your attention."

"Mac!" Jo whispered. "Do you realize what that means?"

Mac stared at Jo. "I don't think I want to talk about it," he said.

"You're quite clever when you're out of your body."

"Don't say that. You're going to take my appetite."

"Mac, don't think of it like that. You helped us find the person who tried to kill you."

Mac stared at the table. "She was there when I walked in. She pretended that she had found the pharmacist like that. I didn't even have my weapon with me. I picked up the weapon that was lying beside the pharmacist and I started to go and look for someone else in the store." Mac closed his eyes. "She shot me in the back. Then she walked over to me and took the weapon and shot me again. I really thought I would die right there."

"But you didn't," Jo said and touched his hand. "And I'm glad you're here."

Mac looked at her with a mischievous grin. "I kinda freaked you out, didn't I?" he asked.

Jo laughed. "You sure did. I thought I was losing my mind until I saw what you did to her with the cart and the bucket. But then I knew it was you."

"When you realized it, I don't remember anything else," Mac said. "I guess that was all I was supposed to do."

"You should feel honored. Not everyone gets to solve a murder while they're lying in a coma."

"Yes, I know."

Soon their food came and they ate. Mac found that the food was as good as Jo had said. They left the restaurant and headed to the movie theater where they watched a classic movie and then headed to Jo's apartment. They walked to the door of her apartment. Jo looked at Mac.

"Are you going to kiss me good night?" Jo asked expecting him to be shy.

"Why not?" Mac asked.

Jo was surprised as Mac stepped closer to her. She was standing against the door. Her heart began to race as Mac leaned toward her. His fingers touched her neck as he cupped her head in his hands. She felt like she was floating as she closed her eyes in anticipation of his kiss. She thought she might collapse as she felt Mac's breath on her lips.

Just as Mac was about to kiss her, his phone rang. Jo opened her eyes and was staring into Mac's intense green eyes. "Does that mean we have to go?" Jo asked.

"Not yet," Mac whispered.

Jo closed her eyes as Mac's lips touched hers. Then he put his arms around her and pulled her close to him. Jo thought she might fall through the floor if he let her go. She put her arms around his neck as the kiss ended. She wanted to make sure her legs would hold her up. She swallowed hard and for once, she did not know what to say.

"Well, I'll see you in the morning," Mac said.

Jo nodded. She watched him walk away down the hall and then she sighed as she leaned on the door. It had been a long time since she had a kiss but that was the best one she ever had. She unlocked her apartment door and went in. She was still shocked as she closed the door. Then Ellie came from her room. Jo hoped she was not blushing. "What are you doing up?" she asked trying to get her feelings under control.

"I heard you come in," Ellie said. "How was the date?"

"Wonderful. I have to get some sleep."

"Good night."

Jo went to her room and sighed. She thought she had been holding her breath. She picked up a magazine and fanned her face. She was hot now. She pulled her sweater off and hung it up. She definitely wanted to go out with him again. Mac was unlike any man she had ever met.

Mac went out to his Avalanche and headed for the crime scene. He thought about what Jo had told him. He supposed it did not matter. He did not remember everything that happened. It did make him a little nervous to think about that though. He would rather not dwell on it. He would rather think of that intense kiss he just shared with Jo. He had to admit he had enjoyed it. He had not dated in a long time.


	6. Chapter 6

Mac walked into the crime scene which was at an old warehouse. "Hello, Don," he said as he walked in to find Don as usual.

"Hi, Mac," Don replied. "Sorry I interrupted your date."

"It was over when you sent the message."

"Good. I would hate to interrupt something important."

Mac gave him a sideways look. "What do we have here?"

"The victim is a twenty year old female. Her name is Jennifer Carroll." Don looked at Mac. "Get this…she has her own Penthouse apartment and her own broadcast on the internet. She's an internet sensation."

Mac looked at the body. "Was," he said.

"She's only twenty years old, Mac."

Mac looked at Don. "Some people have it and some don't, Don."

Mac took pictures of the victim and the crime scene and then squatted beside the body. He looked at the victim's hands which looked like she had struggled with her attacker. He looked at Don. "What is she doing here if she's a big shot internet sensation?" he asked.

"Probably a dump job," Don replied. "We're casing the area to see if anyone saw anything down here but there's not much around here."

"If her life is on the internet, why was she out of her apartment?"

"I guess even internet people have some kind of life outside of the computer."

Mac looked at the wounds on the victim. "Two gunshot wounds to the chest," he said. He stared at the wounds and remembered being shot in the back twice. He remembered how painful that was as he looked into the victim's blue eyes and how he had thought he would die.

"Mac?" Don was saying.

Mac looked at him. "It looks like a forty-five might have been used," he said. He rolled the victim up on her side. "Not much lividity. She must not have died here or in this position." He put bags on the victim's hands so that nothing would be lost in transition to the morgue and Sid could scrape her nails. He looked at the victim's face. Twenty years old; Mac shook his head. He wondered who would want to kill her. He could see that it looked like she had been hit in the face. "I think we better take a look at her website."

"She had a popular blog," Don said.

"Maybe she talked about something sensitive on there."

"Maybe she did."

Mac turned the body over to the ME and then he stood beside Flack as they looked at the old warehouse. "What is someone like her doing in a place like this?" Don asked.

Mac looked at him. "That's a good question," he replied.

Mac and Don looked around the warehouse. There was a room in the side of the warehouse that looked like someone had been staying there. There was a cot, a table a chair and even a microwave and a small refrigerator. Don stared at it a moment. "Somebody lives here?" he asked. He looked at Mac.

"Looks like it," Mac replied. He took pictures of the place and then walked on in. "Either she knew someone who lived here or this person may have seen who dumped her or murdered her here."

"I'll see what I can find out," Don said.

Mac looked through the room and found a check stub made out to someone named Ernest Carlisle. He looked at it a moment. "Well, I guess we can start here," he said. He put the check stub into an evidence bag.

Don looked at it. "Wilson Manufacturing," he said as he read the name on the check stub. He looked at Mac. "You would think this guy wouldn't leave all this stuff here if he killed someone."

"Who found this body?" Mac asked.

Don stared at Mac a moment. "A guy…" He gave the evidence bag back to Mac and left the room.

Mac looked out the door of the room. He thought Don must not have been on his game tonight if he let the guy walk away but then again, he had not asked him who found the body. He went back to his examination of the room. He thought the guy was probably staying here to get on his feet or something.

Soon, Don came back with a man beside him. "Mac, this is the guy who found the body," Don said. "Sorry I let that slip by."

"What's your name?" Mac asked.

"Ernest Carlisle," the man answered.

Mac held up the check stub. "You live here?" he asked.

"Yes. I came home from work, and there she was."

Mac dropped his hand. "You didn't tell the detective here that when he got here?"

The man looked at Don. "I didn't talk to him about it. I told the other officer."

"They pointed out who found the body but I didn't have time to talk to him at that moment," Don said. "There were TV cameras out there and they were trying to get in here to see the body."

Mac nodded. "Okay, well he's here now." He walked over to Carlisle. "Did you see anyone here when you got here?"

"No, sir," Ernest replied. "I don't ever see anyone around here. That's why it freaked me out when I saw her lying there like that."

"What time did you get home?"

"Around ten."

Mac looked around the room. "You realize you're trespassing here, don't you?" he asked.

The man sighed. "Come on, Man, give me a break. I'm trying to get myself off the street and this is the best place I could find."

Mac sighed. "Well, this is a crime scene out here now. You can't stay here."

Ernest frowned. "Where am I supposed to go?" he asked.

Mac considered that. "We'll try to help you get something," he said. "Just pack up your stuff here."

"Into what? I don't have a car. I have to call a cab out here and go to work that way."

Don looked at Mac and shrugged slightly. Mac looked around the room. "You can't stay here until this investigation is over," he said. "Or until crime scene cleanup comes."

"We'll put you up in a hotel until then," Don said. "How's that?"

Ernest stared at him in disbelief. "A hotel?"

"Yeah. It's the least we can do."

"Well, how do I get my stuff out?"

"We'll help you with that too. Just get everything you can carry right now."

Ernest looked at Don. "You know I've almost got enough money saved up to get myself an apartment," he said. "It's just taking a lot of time with all the money I have to give my ex-wife. That's why I'm here."

"How much do you have to give her?" Mac asked.

"A lot. We had two kids. I have to give her almost everything I get. I know I have to support my kids but shouldn't I be allowed to have a little money too. After all, it wasn't 'all' my fault."

"We're not lawyers," Don said. "Just get your stuff and we'll help you get out of here."

Mac shook his head as Don and Ernest walked over into the room. He had heard that story before but there was nothing that could be done about it. He had to solve a murder.

Mac went back to the lab and turned in the evidence. He went to his office and yawned as he sat down. It was almost midnight now. Carlisle had gotten home around ten. Mac realized that was about the time he had gotten home with Jo. He knew that was kinda early for some people with a date but they were not paying attention to the time. He began his report of what had happened so far while he waited for some analysis of the evidence to come in. When he had that done, he lay down on his sofa to get some sleep. It would be the next morning before the evidence was ready anyway. Then he would have to go to the victim's apartment…penthouse. He had never been in a penthouse many times. He tried to relax on the sofa. It was not easy because that sofa was definitely not made for lying on.

The next thing Mac knew, Don Flack was waking him up. "Hey, Mac," Don said. "Are you sleeping on the job?"

Mac rubbed his eyes and sat up. "I was just waiting on evidence," he said. He looked at Don. "What do you have?"

"I have a warrant to search Jennifer Carroll's apartment."

"Good." Mac looked at his watch. "Danny and I will do that in the morning."

"I also had Adam go on her website. She had a lot of stuff on there about some nudist colony."

Mac scowled. "A nudist colony?"

"Yeah. She claimed that this nudist colony is run by 'former' sex offenders and that they allow promiscuous sex out there."

Mac frowned. "And what business is that of ours? Or hers for that matter? If people want to do that, it's not against the law as long as they don't get out in public like that."

"Well, it seems that there are children out there some of the time."

Mac looked at Don. "Children?"

"Yeah. Can you imagine?"

Mac looked at the report that Don had brought. "I thought nudist colonies were supposed to be peaceful," he said. "I've never heard anything about one of them and I also thought they had to have a background check done before they could be there."

"Apparently, we have not heard about this one."

Mac shook his head. "Who takes their kid to a place like this around all these naked people?"

"I don't even want to go into that," Don replied. He looked at Mac. "Are we going to have to go out there to that place?"

Mac sighed. "Well, I supposed someone will have to."

Don put his hands up. "I am not taking off my clothes for any reason," he said. "I refuse to go nude in front of a bunch of complete strangers."

Mac chuckled. "Don't worry. We're not going there to join."

"Yeah, but some of these places won't let you in with clothes on."

"They will this time." Mac looked at his watch again. "Go get some sleep and be back here in the morning."

"Okay."

Don left. Mac lay back down on the sofa. He dreaded going to a nudist colony but if it was a lead, he had to go there to find out if those people had anything to say about Jennifer Carroll's blog. He was sure they would know about it. He wondered if it was actually true. He wondered what would make them angrier…if it was true or if it was a lie? He would have to find that out too.


	7. Chapter 7

Mac yawned as he poured himself a cup of coffee. Jo walked into the lounge. "Morning," she said. "You're here early."

"I never left after I got here," Mac replied.

Jo moved closer to him. "That was a hot, steamy kiss," she whispered in his ear.

Mac tried not to shiver at her breath on his ear. He looked at her. "Well, you wanted me to kiss you."

Jo smiled. "I would like a good morning kiss too," she said.

Mac cleared his throat. "Jo, let's try to keep this out of the lab."

"Oh Mac, it would make great gossip."

Mac rolled his eyes. "I have no desire to create more gossip in this place. Besides, we have a case that you'll probably find interesting."

Jo noticed Mac's sly grin. "And what case is that?" she asked.

"Come on."

They went to Mac's office and he gave Jo the file on the case. Jo sat down on the sofa and read some of the file while Mac was pulling up information on his computer. He could not believe they had to go out to a nudist colony. That was one place he had never been.

"A nudist colony?" Jo asked loudly. She stared at Mac. "You mean we have to go out there?"

Mac looked at her. "It's the only way to get information," he said.

Jo laid the file on Mac's desk. "I'll let you take Don with you. I have no desire to see a bunch of naked people."

Mac grinned mischievously. "Why? You might see something you like."

Jo almost gasped. "Mac Taylor! Are you going to follow the dress code? I might go if you are."

Mac almost laughed. "No, I am not. I prefer to keep my nakedness to myself, thank you."

Jo stared at him a moment. "You mean you don't ever intend to let me see you naked?" she asked.

Mac cleared his throat and sat up straighter. "Jo, we've only had one date," he pointed out.

"You know what they say about that third date."

Mac leaned on his desk. "I never follow what the crowd says," he whispered.

Jo leaned on the desk on the other side. "Me neither."

"Good then maybe we will get along well."

"I hope so because I would like to see you naked."

Mac leaned back in his chair and stared at her. "Is that all you think about?"

"No but aren't you curious about what I would look like naked?"

Mac shifted in his chair again. "Even if I do, I'm not telling you."

"Well, you know, if two people keep going together, they're eventually going to be naked together whether they wait till they're married or not," Jo said.

"I know that but do we have to talk about it?"

"Mac, we're both adults. We see naked people all the time in the morgue."

"But they're dead."

"Those people at that nudist colony won't be."

"I'm not going out there to look at them…I'm going to try and find out if they had anything to do with murdering this woman."

"You're still human."

"Jo."

"I want to be the first person you see when you get back here. I want to see if you're blushing. You act like nothing bothers you but I know better."

Mac stared at her a moment with a scowl. "Maybe it will bother me a little. I have never been to a nudist colony but I have to go out there to see if they have seen this girl or if they know anything about her blog."

"I'll see if Adam can track down who all has been on that blog," Jo said. She stood up. "I'm sure he can track it from the website administrator."

"Good. When it's time, I'll go out there and see what I can…find." Mac looked at Jo. "I'll take Don and Danny with me. They should give you some real interesting information when we get back."

Jo had to laugh out loud at that. "You're taking Don?"

"Yeah."

Jo left the office still laughing. Mac shook his head as he watched her walk away. He was sure it would bother her if she went out there too. He did not know why she thought it was so funny. He thought sometimes that she threw her own shortcomings off on someone else because she did not want to admit that anything ever bothered her. He did not care to talk about every little thing that bothered him and he did not try to pressure her into talking about things that bothered her. She had told him last night that she had not known how much she liked having Russ around until it was too late. Mac was sure it was not easy being a single parent.

Mac called Don and Danny into his office when they arrived that morning. "Morning, Mac," Danny said.

"Morning," Mac replied.

Don was trying to conceal a grin because he knew Danny did not know what this case was about yet. Danny looked at Don and then at Mac. "Is there something I don't know about?" Danny asked.

Mac looked at Don with a warning look. "We have a new case," Mac said. He gave Danny the file. "The victim is a twenty year old female who had a popular blog on the internet. We think that might have something to do with her murder."

Danny nodded as he looked at the report. "Then why is this so amusing to Don over here?" he asked.

"Well, he thinks it's amusing because her blog was about a nudist colony and we have to go out there."

Danny just stood there a moment and then he laughed his sarcastic laugh. "You're putting me on," he said.

Don snickered. "You think Mac would kid about something like this?" he asked.

Danny's smiled faded. He stared at Mac. "Seriously?" he asked. "What would she be saying about that?"

"The report is right there in the file," Mac said. "She claims that this specific nudist colony is owned by former sex offenders and that promiscuous sex goes on there."

Danny shrugged a little. "Nudist colonies are not illegal," he said.

"But she claims that children are present there and are endangered by this activity going on there."

"Children?"

Mac knew how Danny felt about children because he had one of his own. "Who would take their kids somewhere like this? There are all kinds of maniacs out there…even if they act nice."

Mac put up his hand. "I know that, Danny, but our problem is whether this is true or not and whether this caused this girl to be murdered."

Mac stood up. "We have to go and see Sid and see what he found out about the body," he said. "Then we have to go and search the victim's apartment and then we have to go and visit our suspects."

"Oh, is that all?" Danny asked sarcastically.

"I'm sure I could think of something else for you to do if you get bored," Mac said.

"I think I'll pass."

They went down to the morgue to see what Sid had found out about the body. Sid was looking at an x-ray when they walked in. "Hello," he said.

Mac, Don and Danny walked over to the table where their victim was. "What have you got, Sid?" Mac asked.

"I have two bullets," Sid said. He gave Mac a dish with the bullets in it. "Your victim died when a bullet went into her heart. However she fought." He uncovered the victim.  
Mac stared at the victim. "Those bruises weren't showing up before," he said.

"Right. Some bruising shows up much later. Someone beat her up pretty badly but she gave them some bruises too." Sid held up the victim's hands. "Whoever fought this girl has some bruises on them and maybe some scratches." He gave Mac two swabs. "There were no signs of sexual assault just a beating."

"Anything else?" Mac asked.

"Nothing else."

"Thanks, Sid."

Mac, Don and Danny went back up to the lab and gave the evidence to Lindsey who was in the lab now. "Next is the victim's apartment," Mac said. "We have to get evidence from her computers and anything else that might give us a clue."

"It should be intact since it's a penthouse and no one can get up there without a key to the elevator," Don said.

"Good," Mac said.

They went to the penthouse which was at the very top of the building it was in. They stepped out of the elevator into the apartment. "Wow," Don said. "I'm always amazed when I see a place like this."

"Me too," Danny replied. "I can't imagine the payments."

"I don't want to imagine them."

"Let's just see what we can find," Mac said.

They packed up the computers in the apartment which totaled three laptops and a desktop. Mac looked through her mail but did not find anything that looked suspicious until he found an invitation from the nudist colony for Jennifer Carroll to come and visit. "Look at this," he said.

Danny came and looked at what Mac had found. "An invitation," Danny said. He looked at Mac. "So you think she may have gone?"

Mac looked at the invitation. "Her date to be there was supposed to be yesterday." He looked at Danny. "Looks like we're paying them a visit soon."

"Looks like it."

When they were done there, they headed back to the lab. "So they invited her to come out to the nudist colony," Don said. "But she wasn't naked when we found her."

"They could have redressed her," Danny said.

"But even if she went, she may not have taken her clothes off," Mac pointed out. "She was not a nudist."

"Right," Don agreed.

They went up to the lab and turned the computers over to Adam to see what he could find in them. "I have been trying to track down the hits to her website," Adam said. "I haven't been able to get many of them yet."

"Just keep trying and see what you can find in these computers here," Mac said. "I want to know anything that she was going to write in her blog. Maybe she had already saved it in the computer and maybe someone knew about it."

"I'll see what I can find."

Mac went back to his office and wrote more on his report about what they found at the penthouse. Just as he was finishing, Lindsey came into his office and closed the door. She folded her arms and stared at Mac. "Is it true that you are planning to take my husband to a nudist colony?" she asked.

Mac scowled. "We are going to a nudist colony to interview some suspects," he said.

"I don't want Danny to go to a nudist colony. You know how many naked women he is going to see out there?"

"I assure you he won't have time to…uhm, do anything else."

Lindsey's mouth dropped open and she put her hands on her hips. "I can't believe you just said that."

"Said what?"

"Do you really think he would cheat on me?"

Mac stared at her a moment. "Well, you're the one who doesn't want him to go."

"Well it wasn't for that reason!"

"Oh. What reason is it then?"

"He might think they're more attractive than me. I've had a baby you know."

Mac rolled his eyes. "I don't think you have to worry about that. Danny loves you and he loves Lucy and I don't think he is going to care what those other women look like."

"Are you serious? Men are guided by their eyes."

"We are not."

"Yes you are. Why do you think women dye their hair and put on makeup and try to dress sexy?"

Mac considered that a moment. "Well, I can't help it if we're that way. I guess we're made that way. We have to go out there anyway. If you were going, do you think Danny would be in here fussing about it?"

Lindsey folded her arms. "Of course not because he knows I wouldn't be looking around," she said.

Mac looked amused. "Are you kidding?" he asked. "You mean to tell me that if you went out there and some guys came walking up with nothing on…"

Lindsey blew out a breath. "Don't patronize me," she said.

"Are you telling me that you wouldn't even notice?"

"I suppose I would notice, but I wouldn't gawk."

Mac almost laughed. "Nobody is going to be gawking. We are going out there as detectives trying to find a murderer. It's not like we've never seen a naked body before."

"But these naked bodies won't be dead."

Mac stood up and held up his hands. "I'm not arguing with you about this anymore," he said. "You'll just have to get over it. I'm the boss around here and this is not a debate."

Lindsey frowned. She realized she had almost crossed the line. "I'm sorry, Mac, but I just don't like this," she said.

"None of us like it," Mac said. "I never like it when someone is murdered and I have to go into unpleasant places to find a murderer."

"You really think they murdered her over that blog?"

"You'd be surprised."

Mac left his office and went to the computer lab. "Adam, you got anything?" he asked.

"She had something else written for that blog," Adam said. "I just found it." He pulled the file up on the computer. "It looks like she had been to the colony and she was about to write about it."

Mac frowned as he read the blog. "Definitely enough to get someone's blood to boiling," he said. "Make me a copy of this."

Adam printed out the report that Jennifer Carroll had on her computer that she planned to download to her blog. Mac wondered how they had gotten her from her penthouse. "If she was back home after she went to the nudist colony, how would they get her from the penthouse?" he asked.

"I don't know," Adam replied.

Mac considered that. "Maybe she left her penthouse some time that night." He slapped Adam on the back. "Thanks, Adam. Keep working."

Mac went to find Danny and Don. They had some more detective work to do…


	8. Chapter 8

Mac, Don and Danny headed out to the nudist colony, The Natural Oaks. "Can you believe that name?" Don asked.

"Maybe they have a lot of oaks there to sit under to keep from getting sunburned," Danny remarked.

"That's what clothes are for."

"But you can get sunburn on your arms or face even with clothes on."

"Sure but that wouldn't be like getting sunburned in some unmentionable place."

Mac rolled his eyes. He had known it would be this way. Don always had to make jokes about stuff. "I've never been sunburned anywhere near there," Mac said.

"I guess if they got sunburned there, they wouldn't be having any promiscuous sex for a while," Don said.

"Stop talking about that," Danny said. "That's not something I want to think about. That has to be painful."

"What? The sunburn or the lack of sex?"

Danny looked around at Don. "You're a piece of work, you know that?"

Don laughed. He put his shades on. "I'm going to wear these to reduce some of the glare," he said.

Danny shook his head and turned back around. He looked at Mac. "Are we really taking him out there?" he asked.

"We might have to arrest someone," Mac said.

"I have handcuffs with me."

"Just relax."

"Tell him to relax. He's the one making all the jokes."

"You can't tell me that you can't think of a few jokes yourself, Messer," Don said.

"Maybe I'll think of some after we get out of there," Danny replied.

Danny looked around at Don. "Alright, wise guy, don't be making any wise…jokes while we're out there," he said.

Don laughed out loud. "Now you're getting started," he replied.

"Will you two knock it off?" Mac asked. "You act like juveniles."

"He must have been a juvenile delinquent when he was a kid," Danny said.

"I was not," Don informed him. "I was an upstanding citizen."

"Yeah, I'm sure you never got into any trouble."

"I sure didn't. If I had, my dad would have skinned me alive."

Danny laughed. "I guess that's what comes of having a father who's a cop."

"Yeah. You can't get away with anything."

Don and Danny both laughed. Mac smiled. He thought it did not take that. He could not get away with anything. Sometimes he wondered if his mother had a tracking device on him or a bug to monitor what he was doing. She seemed to always know when he had been doing something he should not. When he came in the door she would have her hands on her hips and say "Where have you been and what have you been doing?" Mac almost laughed. He thought maybe he had been gone too long and she knew he had been up to something. Maybe he just looked guilty.

"What are you smiling at?" Danny asked.

Mac realized he was smiling. He cleared his throat. "Nothing," he said. "I was just thinking."

"Probably thinking about that date he had last night with Jo," Don remarked.

Mac was surprised. "I was not," he said.

"You went out with Jo?" Danny asked.

Mac rolled his eyes. "Do you have to tell everything?" he asked Don."

"I figured he knew it," Don replied.

"Why didn't you want me to know it?" Danny asked.

"It wasn't that I didn't want you to know it," Mac said. "I just didn't want it spread all over the lab."

"What? Are you saying I have a big mouth?"

Mac raised his eyebrows and looked at Danny. "Maybe."

Danny folded his arms. "Wow, it's nice to know what people really think about you. You think I have a motor mouth."

"No, but you would probably tell Lindsey."

Danny looked at him. "So you're saying my wife has a big mouth?"

"Now, hold on. I just don't want it spread all over the lab and I didn't want Jo and Lindsey whispering about stuff yet."

"Do you have some sort of guarantee that Jo has not already told her?"

"Hey, Lindsey didn't even want you to come to this nudist colony," Mac informed him.

"I know that," Danny replied. "She thought I might see someone who looked better than her. Are you kidding? Lindsey is beautiful and besides that, she's my wife. I don't want anyone else."

"Awww," Don said. "Is that what you told her?"

"Yeah."

"Did she buy that?"

Danny looked around at Don. "Are you saying I was lying?" he asked.

"No way," Don said with his hands up. "I'm just wondering what Lindsey thought."

"She knew I meant it."

"Do you ever lie to Lindsey?"

"Why would I need to lie to her?"

"I don't know. I just think that most people lie about something."

"That gets you into trouble. You might as well tell the truth. Besides, what would I need to lie to her about? Don't do anything you shouldn't and then you won't have anything to lie about."

"Right," Don said.

"We're almost there," Mac pointed out. "Will you two please try to act normal?"

"Normal?" Don asked. "How can you act normal around a bunch of naked people?"

"Fake it."

Mac turned into the gate that led out to the nudist colony. He hoped this would go well and he hoped it would not take long. As they drove down the long driveway to the resort, they passed by a volleyball net with people playing volleyball. "Well, that's something you don't see every day," Danny remarked.

"That's not something I 'want' to see every day," Don replied.

"Okay, just keep your minds out of the gutter," Mac said. He had to admit that it was disturbing to see twelve naked people playing volleyball…and they were not all the same sex either.

"I'm gonna have nightmares about this," Don said as they passed by two people on horseback.

"I hope they clean those saddles before someone else rides," Danny remarked.

Mac thought he would never hear the end of this. "I hope they clean those chairs and everything after each person sits there," Don said.

"Yeah," Danny agreed. "I sure would like to bring an ALS light out here."

"No you wouldn't," Mac said. "Trust me. And don't ever shine one of those in a hotel room you're going to spend the night in."

"Oh no, he had to say that," Don said.

Mac parked in front of the big house that served as a hotel, he supposed. They got out of the truck. "Well, there are a lot of Oaks around here," Don remarked.

"Come on," Mac said.

They went up to the front of the house but before they could knock on the door, they heard someone say, "Hi!"

Mac, Don and Danny looked around to see a woman coming toward them. She had long, blonde hair that covered her up down to her waist. She walked over to them. "Hi, can I help you?" she asked.

Mac swallowed. "Uhm, we're looking for the owners of this place," he said. He looked at his notepad. "George Robbins and James Turkins."

"They're out back," the woman replied. "But we have a dress code."

Mac showed her his badge. "We're going to go with our own dress code," he said.

"Okay, follow me."

Mac, Don and Danny looked at each other and then followed the woman around the house. She flung her hair behind her back as they were walking. "This is just wrong," Don remarked.

They followed the woman around the house where there was a pool and even a Jacuzzi. There were about 15 people out there, some sun bathing, some in the Jacuzzi and some in the pool. "I don't see any children out here," Mac said quietly.

"Maybe she was just exaggerating because she doesn't like these places," Danny replied.

"Why would that make a difference to her?" Don asked.

"That's a good question," Mac said.

The woman led them over to a man who was sitting in a lawn chair drinking a red colored drink. "Mr. Robbins," the woman said. "There's someone here to see you."

The man looked up at Mac, Don and Danny through shades. "Hi," he said.

Mac showed him his badge. "We need to talk to you," he said.

"Talk away. What brings you out here?"

"You know a woman named Jennifer Carroll?"

Robbins frowned. "What has she done now? Reported us to the police? I invited her out here yesterday and she came but she informed us before she left that she was going to see this place shut down and any others like it."

Mac scowled. "Did she say why?" he asked.

"She claims that we're sex offenders," Robbins replied. He looked at the chair beside him. "Have a seat, Detective."

Mac looked at the chair. "No thanks. I'll just stand."

Don almost laughed but he looked out across the yard. "Did she say why she wanted to shut this place down?" Mac asked.

"Some people don't understand us out here like this," Robbins replied. "We just like to be free of clothes. Who says we have to wear clothes?"

"I'm not judging you. I just want to know why this woman wanted to shut this place down and who killed her. She claims you and your partner are former sex offenders but we have not found anything on you."

Robbins took his shades off. "I had an incident back when I was eighteen," he said. "My girlfriend was fifteen. Can you read between the lines?"

Mac frowned. "Statutory?"

"Yes. Her parents didn't press charges thankfully so there's no record of it. I don't know how Jennifer Carroll found out about it."

"Are those accusations she has in her blog true? Do you have promiscuous sex going on out here? And are there children out here?"

"No," Robbins replied sternly. "We don't allow children here. This is not a family colony. If people want to take their kids, they have to go to another one. And as far as sex goes, if people want to have sex, who am I to tell them they can't?"

"The owner?" Don asked.

Robbins frowned. "What they do in their own room is their business. No one does anything out here in the open like she was claiming."

Mac scowled. "Has she ever written about other nudist colonies?" he asked.

"I don't know but from her attitude, I would think she probably has."

"Where's your partner?" Mac asked. "James Turkins."

"He's probably inside. One of us usually watches everyone outside and the other is inside in case someone needs something." Robbins looked at Mac. "I'm telling you, Detective, those things she said are not true."

"Another question would be whether you killed her or not," Mac said. "Were you angry about what she was writing?"

"Of course I was angry but I knew if anyone came out here to see, they would know she was lying."

"But some people would just assume that she was telling the truth."

"Where were you last night?" Don asked.

"I was here," Robbins replied. "I live here."

"Anyone know that for sure?"

"Of course. My wife. I was with her last night and before we went to bed, there were plenty of people around here who knew I was here."

"What about James Turkins?" Mac asked.

"I don't know about him," Robbins replied. "I don't keep up with him all the time but he was here when we were outside."

"So, he's inside here?" Mac asked.

"Yes."

Mac, Don and Danny went up to the back door of the house which was a sliding glass door. They went inside where there were several people sitting around a table having coffee. "Can I help you?" one of them asked.

"We're looking for James Turkins," Mac said.

"He's in there at the desk," the woman replied.

Mac headed into the other room along with Danny. Don smiled at the women at the table. "So, do you all have coffee every day?" he asked.

"Sometimes," the same woman replied. "You want to join us?"

Danny was back and grabbed Don by the arm. "He doesn't have time," Danny said as they headed into the other room.

Mac walked over to the front desk where a man was sitting behind the desk reading a newspaper and he had a baseball game on the TV. "Excuse me," Mac said and showed the man his badge.

"Yes?" the man said.

"Are you James Turkins?"

"Yes. What do you want?"

"We're investigating the murder of Jennifer Carroll," Mac said.

"Well, it was only a matter of time before someone killed that pest. She liked to ruin people."

"And what did she have to ruin you about?"

"Haven't you already looked at my criminal record?" Turkins asked.

"I did," Don said. He opened his notepad. "You were accused of sexual harassment about ten years ago."

"Right…accused. That means, I didn't do it. That woman just wanted to ruin us."

"Is there any reason that you know of that she would want to do that?" Mac asked.

"I didn't ask."

"You seem a little angry," Danny said. "You didn't want anyone to know about your checkered past?"

Turkins stood up. "I don't have a checkered past! I'm tired of these women accusing me of things I don't do!"

"Are you?" Mac asked. "How tired are you?"

Turkins glared at Mac. "Why don't you get out of here and go find out who else she was writing about!"

"I think you're making an interesting conversation. I think we need to talk to you some more."

"Why?"

"Because you seem awfully angry for someone who's innocent."

"You don't have any grounds to arrest me! You'd be angry too if someone was accusing you of all that."

"Why don't you just calm down?" Don asked. "We can take you in for questioning if we want. Get some clothes on."

"I'll sue you for false arrest!"

"You're not under arrest," Mac said. "We just need to talk to you."

"I don't have to put on clothes. I am a nudist and I don't have to wear clothes."

"You do in public, pal," Don said. "Now, get some clothes on and come on."

They waited while Turkins went upstairs to put on some clothes. Don stood outside the door. Mac and Danny were standing in the lobby. "You think this guy killed her?" Danny asked.

"I don't know," Mac said. "But he sure seems like he has enough anger to do it."

"Sure does."


	9. Chapter 9

James Turkins had not stopped yelling since they brought him into the police station. "You can't hold me here against my will!" he shouted as Don put him into the interrogation room.

"Shut up!" Don replied. "I've been listening to you since we got here. When Detective Taylor gets done with your interrogation, you can go. But I gotta tell you, you're not making yourself look very good."

"I don't care how I look! I'm tired of this crap! You can tell that to _Detective _Taylor! I want my lawyer in here!"

"You're not under arrest! Why do you want a lawyer?"

"I know how you people are! You try to get people to confess to things they didn't do! That's what they tried to get me to do when I was accused before! When I got my lawyer, he informed me of my rights!"

Don folded his arms. "Why don't you just calm down? Nobody is trying to get you to confess to anything. We just want to ask you some questions."

"I don't know anything!"

Just then, Mac and Danny walked in. Mac glared at Turkins. "We can hear you all the way to the elevator," Mac said. "Why don't you sit down there and shut your mouth?"

Turkins looked into Mac's green eyes. He sat down in the chair at the table. Mac sat down across the table along with Danny. "We have some interesting messages here that Jennifer Carroll put on her website," Mac said. He took some of the messages out of his file. "She was trying to expose the fact that you and your co-owner are former sex offenders but…" Mac looked at him. "…you were never convicted. Why did that upset you so much?"

Turkins folded his arms. "Because it's the same thing that happened before," he said. "How would you like it if someone false accused you like that?"

Mac leaned on the table. "It hasn't been long since I came through a case where someone tried to frame me, so I know something about it. You don't have to get so angry that you resort to murder."

Turkins stared at Mac a moment. "I didn't murder her!" he declared. "Why do you think I did it!"

"Stop that yelling," Danny said. "We can hear just fine."

Turkins leaned back in his seat. "I want my lawyer. You don't have any proof that I did anything."

Mac looked at Danny. "You know, half the people who say that in here turn out to be guilty," Mac said.

Mac and Danny could see the rage in Turkins' eyes. "She came out there to that nudist colony yesterday and that just topped your timber, didn't it?" Mac asked. "She didn't like what she saw and she told you that she was going to bring you down for the scum you were. You must have followed her home and you must have called her or something to get her out of her penthouse since you couldn't get up there to her so when she came down, you kidnapped her and killed her and then you dumped her out there in that old warehouse."

"Prove it!" Turkins said.

"Do you own a handgun?" Danny asked.

Turkins folded his arms and just stared at them. "I told you that I want my lawyer," he said.

"Like I said," Mac said. "You're not under arrest, but I have a feeling that you soon will be."

"I'll sue you for false arrest too."

"Don't worry, when I arrest you, I'll have all the proof I need."

Turkins glared at them. Mac and Danny stood up and left the room. Don was standing outside the room. "What now?" Don asked.

"Get a warrant to search his room at that nudist colony and anywhere else that he may live," Mac said. "Get it fast cause I think he will try to destroy evidence if there is any."

"I'm on it. What about him?"

"Leave him in there to stew for a while. I might want to talk to him again. Take your time getting him out."

Mac and Don went up to the lab. Mac went into the computer lab. "Adam, I want you to find out what all Jennifer Carroll has talked about on that blog," Mac said. "See if she has been so adamant against anything else."

"I've been searching her blog," Adam said. "She has talked about sexual abuse a lot. She doesn't come right out and say that she was abused but she has talked about several nudist colonies." Adam looked at Mac. "It makes me wonder if she was sexually abused at one of these places."

Mac scowled. "You may be right, Adam. Keep digging."

Mac went to his office and got his phone…

"Flack," Don answered.

"Don, I need you to do a background check on Jennifer Carroll…not as a criminal but as a victim," Mac said. "I think we may be finding her motive for attacking these places."

"I'm on it. I called about that warrant too."

"Great. Let me know when you have it."

Mac put his phone away and sat down to write some more on his report. He scowled as he realized he had not seen Jo since he got back. He began writing on his report and as he was writing he remembered kissing Jo the night before. He had to admit he had enjoyed that. He thought she had probably enjoyed it too. She had commented on it this morning. He grinned with that comment she had made. He remembered when he had said something about Sheldon and Camille and Jo had said something about "hot steamy sex". He thought she had just said that to embarrass him.

Lindsey came into the office. "Mac, I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry for talking to you like I did this morning," she said.

Mac smiled. "Don't worry about that," he said.

"I shouldn't have talked to you like that though. Sometimes I forget that you're my boss and not just my friend."

Mac nodded. "Sometimes I forget that I'm not just everyone's boss but I'm also their friend."

Lindsey smiled. "This is the best place I've ever worked for."

"Everything is fine."

"Well, I'm heading home for tonight."

"Good night and kiss Lucy for me."

"I will."

Lindsey left and Mac went back to his report. Soon, Jo came down the hallway. "Mac," she said as she entered the office.

Mac noticed the serious tone in her voice. "Something wrong?" he asked.

"Yes." Jo closed the door. She turned and sat down on the couch. "I just got a call from Ellie's paternal grandmother…her real one…or biological one, if that is what you want to call it."

Mac waited for her to continue. Jo leaned back on the couch. "She wants to see Ellie," she said.

Mac thought a moment. "Something wrong with that? Just because her mother is in prison doesn't mean that her grandmother is a bad person," he said. "And besides this is her father's mother. Maybe she didn't have any say-so in the matter."

"I know that but…"

"But what?" Mac leaned on his desk and laced his fingers. "Are you afraid she will want to be with them instead of you?"

Jo sighed. "Oh, Mac, I don't want to think that," she said. "But what if she meets her father while she's there and he's changed to a better person and she wants to spend some time with him?"

"You can't keep her from discovering her roots. She was already smart enough to figure out where her mother is. Don't deprive her of where she came from, Jo. Just because she finds out something doesn't mean she will love you any less or that she will change."

"I know, Mac. It just makes me nervous. I don't know them and they live in Virginia."

"So take some time off and take her down there," Mac said.

"She thinks she's old enough to do things on her own."

Mac frowned. "Jo, you're her mother. I don't have any children, but I know that you have to decide what's best for them no matter what they think because they don't know all the dangers of the world out there. She's not eighteen yet, Jo."

"I know."

"You two have a good relationship. You're her mother, not her friend."

Jo nodded. "I guess I have been trying to be her friend."

"I don't think she's going to turn against you, Jo. Have you talked to her about this?"

"Yes. Her grandmother had talked to her and then she called me. I was surprised that she talked to Ellie first."

Mac leaned back in his chair. "Grandparents have rights," he said. "When Tyler or Ellie grow up and they have a baby, you want to see that baby, don't you?"

"Of course," Jo replied.

"Maybe her grandmother feels the same way. You can't deprive her of that because of what Ellie's mother did."

Jo nodded. "You're right." She stood up and went over to Mac. "Stand up."

Mac looked up at her. "Why?"

Jo put her hands on her hips. "Stand up, Mac Taylor."

Mac looked out of the office to see if anyone was looking that way but he did not see anyone. He stood up. Jo gave him one of her alluring looks. "I want another one of those hot, steamy kisses."

Mac smiled. "Here in the office?"

"Yes."

Mac looked into her eyes. "I think I can handle that."

Jo smiled as Mac moved closer to her and kissed her. She looked up at him. "I'll take a few days off and I'll take her down there," Jo said. "No matter how much she protests."

"Good."

Jo left the office and Mac sat back down. He wondered what Jo would think if Ellie wanted to stay down there. He knew it would be different when she was with her real family. Then again, he knew she loved Jo too. Jo had taken her when she had no one else. Mac knew that would make a difference too. He had seen a lot of people who got into trouble and then saw themselves and turned their life around and made a good parent to their children. He thought everyone deserved a chance.

Just then, Mac saw Adam coming down the hall. He waved him in before he knocked. "Mac!" Adam said as he came into the office. "I found something in an old blog from when Jennifer was sixteen." Adam paused a moment. "I mean, she has been at this for a long time. She has something to say about sexual abuse and what it does to a kid." He gave Mac a printout of the blog post.

Mac looked at the printout. "Sounds like she is speaking from experience," he said.

"Yes, and look at all the responses. I mean, this girl had young people from all over reading this and opening up to her online. She was giving them advice too."

Mac nodded. "Definitely someone who knows about this subject." He looked at Adam. "Thanks. Don is looking into her background as well."

"She was trying to help people, Mac and she winds up dead because of it."

Mac sighed. "Yes, but she was attacking these places and she had no way of knowing what was going on there. I think she saw it as the same as all the others or some that she has had experience with. She didn't realize she was getting into a personal spot with someone who lacked self-control."

"Do you think anything like that goes on there?" Adam asked.

"According to George Robbins, the owner, children aren't allowed there. She has obviously targeted other colonies as well."

"Yes, she has," Adam said. "I think she has gone from one to the next."

"There has to be a reason for that. Hopefully Don can find that reason."


	10. Chapter 10

Mac was sitting in his office when Don came from the elevator. Mac could tell by the way he was walking that he had found something, plus he was carrying papers. He came straight to Mac's office. "Mac, I found something," Don said. He gave Mac the papers. "According to that, Jennifer Carroll had been raped before. She was at…tada…a nudist colony when it happened. They never could find out who did it."

Mac stared at the paper. "This happened when she was eighteen?"

"Yes, and the last two years was when she was attacking these places."

"But she wasn't at the nudist colony that we visited."

"Right. Maybe she knew who had raped her." Don looked at the report he had in his hand. "She had accused a man named Terry Shawford of raping her." Don looked at Mac. "Maybe she thought he was at that one."

"Even if he was, that doesn't mean he killed her," Mac pointed out.

"That guy Turkins makes me want to lock him up and throw away the key but I had to turn him loose. His lawyer arrived and said he was not staying here another minute."

"We will get him back if we get more proof."

Just then, Danny walked into the office. "Mac, the DNA that we found under Jennifer Carroll's fingernails was not enough to get a sample," Danny said. "It was just too small."

"So we'll have to solve this without DNA," Mac said. He paused a moment. "This woman was raped and whoever did it got away with it and now someone has murdered her. We can't let this person get away with that." He looked at Don. "You look up everything you can find on Terry Shawford. I want to know where he's been and where he is now."

"Got it," Don said. He left the office.

Danny looked at Mac. "What are we doing?" Danny asked.

"We are going back to that nudist colony to talk to George Robbins again," Mac said.

"Again? I hope he is wearing clothes this time."

"We can hope."

Mac and Danny got on their way to the nudist colony. "You think he knows everyone who comes out there?" Danny asked.

"I don't know," Mac replied. "He is supposed to."

"Well, since he was an accused criminal, maybe he has a heart for people like that."

"That could be right."

"Who knows who all those people out there are?"

"That many people who are convicted criminals wind up at the same nudist colony?" Mac asked.

"Maybe he advertised it that way."

"No. I read the advertisement. There was nothing about that, but maybe this guy saw his name and recognized it or something."

"Why? He was never convicted."

"That's right too."

Mac thought a moment. "You would think that if Terry Shawford did this that he would have raped her again first…just as a sign of his domination or his cockiness."

Danny considered that. "Maybe he thought that would make it too obvious," he said.

"Maybe."

"Or maybe someone wants to make it look like he did it. You never know what is really going on here."

"Who would know that he was out there at that nudist colony?" Mac asked.

"That jerk, Turkins, knew he was out there."

Mac nodded. "He definitely has some anger issues, but that doesn't make him a murderer."

"It could."

As Mac and Danny arrived at the nudist colony, it was starting to get dark. There was no one out front this time. "Maybe they have to go in early because of mosquitoes," Danny joked.

"I would," Mac replied.

Danny got out of the truck and followed Mac up to the front of the house. "Do we just walk in?" Danny asked. "Do you have to worry about someone being indecent?"

Mac gave him a tolerant look. "Don't you start," he said.

"Well, I'm just saying…if everyone is always naked, does it matter if you knock or not?"

Mac rang the doorbell that was shining on the outside of the door. Soon, someone came to the door. Mac tried not to roll his eyes as he wondered who he would see this time. The same woman they had seen earlier that day was at the door. She smiled at them and put her hand on her hip. "You guys are back again?" she asked.

"Yes," Mac replied. "We need to talk to George Robbins again."

"Come in."

The woman opened the door wider and Mac and Danny went in. Danny looked up at the ceiling as she flung her hair back over her shoulders. Mac thought that must be a habit because she had done it before. He tried not to notice but he thought she had help. "Come this way," she said.

Mac and Danny followed her to the kitchen. Danny almost turned and walked back out but Mac grabbed his arm as they walked into the dining area where everyone was seated around the tables. George was at the table as well.

"Detectives," George said. "You want to join us?"

Danny looked at Mac who gave him a warning look. "No thank you," Mac said. "We need to talk to you."

"About what?" George asked.

"Could we talk in private?"

"Sure," George said as though he were disappointed.

George got up and Mac and Danny followed him to another room. "Make this quick," George said as he put on a robe. "I like to eat my dinner while it's hot."

"I'm sorry for disturbing you but we need to know if you have a member here named Terry Shawford," Mac said.

George thought a moment. "I believe so but he is not here today," he said.

"You know where he is?" Danny asked.

"He left yesterday and has not come back."

Mac looked at Danny. "Did he say where he was going?" Mac asked.

"I supposed he was going to work. People are free to come and go here as they please, you know."

Mac nodded. "Yes. Is it unusual for him to be gone like this?" he asked.

"Well, he was one of those who didn't stay here a lot. He just came here to relax."

"Did you ever have any trouble out of him?" Mac asked.

"No."

"Did you know that he was accused of rape before?"

"Why would I ask about anything like that?"

"Because you are running a nudist colony. Do I have to tell you how vulnerable that makes the women here?"

George stared at Mac a moment. "Nothing like that goes on here," he said.

"Have any women who came here ever been raped…not here, but somewhere else?"

"No, I have not heard of anything like that."

"How long has Terry Shawford been coming here?" Danny asked.

"Oh, maybe a year," George answered.

"And you never asked him anything about his past?" Mac asked.

George frowned. "I don't like for people to ask me about my past so I don't ask people about that either," he said. "Is that all? I really want to get back to my dinner."

"Yes, that's all for now," Mac said.

"You're welcome here, Detective and you're welcome to join us but I don't know what happened to Jennifer Carroll. James came back today storming about how he was treated at the police station."

"No one did anything but ask him some questions," Mac said. "I assure you."

George smiled. "Yes, I know but James has a bit of a temper."

"We noticed."

"Thank you, Detectives, but if you'll excuse me…" George took his robe off. "I'm going back to my dinner."

Mac and Danny looked at each other as George left the room. "Well, he left the day of the murder," Danny said. "Could mean that he did it and didn't come back."

"Yeah but it might not mean that at all," Mac said.

"I guess we'll find out."


	11. Chapter 11

The next morning, Don had the address of Terry Shawford and his place of work as well. He worked at a manufacturing plant out at the harbor. Don, Mac and Danny were on their way there. "I guess he has to wear clothes over there," Don said over the radio.

"Thank goodness," Danny replied. "I have seen all the naked people I want to see."

"Me too," Mac put in. "I am glad we don't have to go out there to that nudist colony and chase him down."

"I've chased down naked people before," Don said.

"I have too but I don't want to this time."

"It's weird to chase down naked people. Gives all new meaning to the word 'moon' especially if you're chasing them at night."

"Oh please," Danny said. "What's the difference?"

"A lot. At night, they seem to be glowing with the rest of the lights and during the day, they kinda blend in with everything."

"You mean you find it difficult to pick out a naked person running down the street? If you do, you can always go by all the screams or whistles."

Mac groaned at that suggestion. "Yes, I don't see how anyone like that can stay hidden long," he said. "I think if they did try to hide, someone would see where they went."

"Yeah, people always notice a streaker," Danny said.

"I don't get it," Don said. "Why does anyone want to do that?"

"Don't ask me. I've never wanted to."

"You mean to tell me that the two of you never went skinny dipping?" Mac asked.

"In New York?" Danny and Don asked at the same time.

Mac looked at Danny. "Well, I guess that was a unanimous 'No'." Mac shook his head as he got his eyes back on the road. "I went skinny dipping in Chicago…of course I was just a teenager."

"You?" Don asked.

Mac looked in his rearview mirror where Don was following them. "Yes, me," he said. "I was just as goofy as any other kid."

Danny and Don laughed. "I bet it was cold in that Lake," Danny said.

Mac sniffed. "Cold is not the word for it," he said.

They could hear Don laughing over the radio. They were all silent, wondering what they would get into when they found Terry Shawford. They were heading for his workplace first. They arrived soon and went to the office. The secretary was not at the desk so Mac went to the door that led out into the plant and looked out of the office. There was a man standing outside the door. "Hey," he said. "Can I help you?"

Mac looked at the man's nametag which said "Brad". "We're looking for Terry Shawford," Mac said and showed the man his badge.

Brad stared at the badge a moment. "What for?" he asked.

"Never mind that," Don interrupted and held up the warrant. "We need to see the guy and it doesn't concern you…unless you're involved in this somehow."

Brad looked bewildered. "Involved in what?" he asked. He pointed across the plant. "His supervisor is Raymond Cole. You'll have to ask him."

"And where do we find Raymond Cole?" Mac asked.

"Back there either in his office or walking around the line somewhere."

"Why don't you show us the way?"

"Sure," Brad said. "Follow me."

Mac, Don and Danny followed Brad over to the other side of the plant where they found a gray-haired man who was wearing a yellow hard hat. His name tag said "Raymond". "Are you Raymond Cole?" Mac asked.

"Yes," the man replied. "Who are you?"

"I'm Detective Mac Taylor." Mac showed him his badge. "We need to talk to Terry Shawford."

Cole looked down the line and pointed. "That's him down there," he said.

Mac looked down the line and saw a tall man with blue eyes. He looked right at Mac and then turned and started running. "Hey!" Mac yelled.

Mac, Don and Danny went after him. Mac wend down the aisle that Shawford had gone down while Danny and Don took another route. Shawford turned to the right and Mac went after him as he ran down between machines and tables. Shawford climbed up onto one of the tables and jumped off on the other side as several people yelled at him and moved back. Mac ran on down and went between some of the tables and Shawford kept going.

Don was coming around the other side of one of the tables and tried to cut Shawford off but he threw a box of screws at Don. Don ducked in time to keep from being hit but the screws spilled all over the floor. Shawford kept running, barely avoiding Mac's reach. Shawford went around another table and threw a box of nails at Mac. Mac jumped to the side and went on after Shawford as the box of nails splattered on the floor.

Danny was coming around another table as Shawford was going that way. However, he darted around a big machine and ran down through another section of the plant. Mac could see Shawford was heading for the Exit. He, Danny and Don kept after him. Shawford knocked more boxed off a table which contained bolts and washers.

"I'm gonna make that guy pick all this up!" Don said.

Shawford got out the door and then he was running even faster. Don came out the door first and was hot on the guy's trail. Shawford darted between cars and soon stopped at a pickup truck where he jerked a rifle out of the back. Don grabbed his weapon. "Drop it!" he yelled. "N.Y.P.D.!"

Shawford was already getting the rifle up to firing position. Don ducked as he shot at him. Mac and Danny were coming that way. They grabbed their own weapons as Shawford took off running again. Don got back into the chase again.

Don soon caught up with the guy as he came around the other end of the vehicles. Shawford stopped and swung the rifle like a bat at Don. Don ducked and then tackled Shawford. Mac and Danny came up just then and helped Don get control of the guy. "You're under arrest!" Don yelled.

They got cuffs on Shawford and got him up. "I didn't do nothing!" he yelled.

"That's not the impression we got!" Don replied. "You have the right to remain silent!"

"Yeah!" Danny said. "If you keep on talking, I'm going to write down everything you say and I'm going to use it against you in court!"

"If you can't afford an attorney, they'll get you one!" Mac added.

"You understand these rights?" Don asked as he jerked Shawford from the car he was leaning on.

Don got Shawford into his car as Danny and Mac got the rifle that Shawford had. "Wow, that guy must be guilty of something," Danny said.

"I would have to agree," Mac replied. "People don't usually run when they're innocent."

They went back to the precinct and turned in the evidence. Mac got his case file and went down to the interrogation room where Terry Shawford was already sitting at the table. He glared at Mac. "You don't have anything on me," he said.

"Oh yeah?" Don asked as he sat down beside Mac. "You shot at me."

"You were chasing me."

Mac leaned on the table. "Don't try to act dumb," Mac said. "You knew exactly why we were there to talk to you. That's why you ran."

Shawford just stared at them. "Well, what do you know?" Don asked. "He lost his voice."

"I hope not," Mac said. He took a picture of Jennifer Carroll out. "You know this woman?"

Shawford looked at the picture and folded his arms. "No," he said.

"I think you should look closer."

"I don't have to."

"Fine. I know you know her because she accused you of rape two years ago and you were never convicted."

"She false accused me!"

"I don't think so," Mac said. "But that's not why we're here today." Mac took some more pictures out of the file. "I believe you killed this woman. When you saw here out there at that nudist colony where you were, that just topped your timber, didn't it?"

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"I think I do. You knew she was about to break up your plans. You lured her from her penthouse somehow that night, you killed her and you dumped her."

"I did no such thing!"

Mac laid another picture on the table. "You were photographed when you were booked," he said. He pointed at the picture. "You have some scratches on your chest there and some bruises. She fought."

Shawford stared at the pictures and then leaned back in his chair. "So?" he asked. "I've been playing sports."

"Come on," Don said. "Surely you can come up with a better lie than that. What kind of sport do you play where you get scratched like that?"

"I was riding a horse and got scratched by a limb," Shawford said.

Mac blew out a breath and stared at Shawford. "We know you killed her," he said. "She saw you out there, didn't she? We couldn't figure out why she would attack this nudist colony or why she attacked those others but it was because you were there."

"Right," Don said. "I found out that you had been at those other colonies that she had written about. She found you no matter where you went, didn't she?"

Mac could see that Shawford was getting angrier by the minute. "You saw her leave that penthouse and you took your chance to get rid of her," he said.

Shawford looked at Mac. "How do you know that guy who lived in the warehouse didn't kill her?" he asked.

"What guy?" Don asked.

"The guy who lives in the warehouse where she was dumped!"

"How do you know someone was living there?" Mac asked.

Shawford's expression changed and his face went a shade whiter. "I…I saw it on the news," he said.

"That wasn't on the news," Mac said.

"Yes it was!"

Mac put the pictures back in his folder and then he looked at Terry Shawford. "You raped that girl and when she tried to point you out, you killed her because you were scoping out more victims, weren't you?" Mac asked.

"Prove it!" Shawford said.

"I think it will be clear to the jury when they see the evidence. You had motive and you had the opportunity."

Mac laid another evidence bag on the table. "You see that?" he asked. "That's a parking ticket. You got that parking ticket on the same street that Jennifer Carroll lived on the night she was murdered."

Shawford frowned as he stared at the ticket. He looked at Mac. "Why couldn't she just leave me alone?" he asked.

Mac leaned on the table. "Because you took something away from her that wasn't yours to take," he said. "And you got away with it."

"She started writing in that blog. I knew she would eventually put my name on there. I wasn't going to let her do it."

"So you waited for her and when you saw her come out of the building, you grabbed her and killed her."

Shawford leaned back in his chair. "I want a lawyer," he said.

Mac put the evidence back in the folder. "You're going to need one," he said and stood up. "You killed that young girl after you had already ruined her life. I only wish she could see you go to prison."

Mac walked out of the interrogation room. He was glad that case was over. He thought he wanted to go home and get some sleep. He felt tired and he was ready to get some rest. He went back up to his office and finished his report about the case. Jo walked into his office just as he was finishing the report.

"How about some lunch?" Jo asked.

Mac rubbed his eyes. "I think…" He looked at Jo. "I think that would be great, but I have to get some sleep after that. I am tired."

"Hey, I'll give you a massage." Jo walked around behind Mac and began to massage his shoulders and neck.

Mac sighed and closed his eyes. "You keep that up and I'll be falling asleep here," he said.

Jo smiled. "You're so tense. You need to relax."

"I know that. Now that I have that case solved, I can relax more."

"I'll help you relax," Jo whispered in his ear.

Mac smiled as he almost shivered. "How are you going to do that?" he asked.

"Oh, just a little TLC."

"Hmmm. That sounds pretty good."

"I'll meet you at your place."

"I'll bet there…let's say around seven. Maybe no one will kill somebody before that."

"Great." Jo kissed Mac on the back of his head. "I'll see you then."

Mac smiled and watched Jo leave the office. He thought he would enjoy this evening…


	12. Chapter 12

Mac was awakened at around 7 pm by someone knocking on his door. He pulled the covers over his head. "Go away," he mumbled. He had not slept so well in years and he did not want to get out of that bed for anyone.

Mac suddenly sat straight up and looked at his watch. He threw the covers off the bed as he realized he had forgotten that Jo was coming over for dinner. He jumped out of bed and hurried to the door. He looked down at himself. He was dressed as he usually was when he was in bed…in a t-shirt and sweats. He rubbed his face and hair and then opened the door.

"It's about time you came to the door," Jo said. She stared at him a moment. "You forgot our date." She was holding a grocery bag.

"I'm sorry," Mac said. "I was so tired, I overslept."

"That's no problem," Jo said as she came in. "You just go and get a shower and get all fixed up and I'll start this delicious dinner that I have planned."

Mac closed the door. "I really am sorry."

Jo kissed him. "Don't worry about it."

Mac watched her walk to the kitchen and then he rubbed his face again. He could not believe he overslept. Then again, he had been sleeping during the day and he supposed that he would still be sleeping now if she had not come to that door. He would like to tell her to just postpone this until tomorrow night. He was afraid he would fall asleep while they were eating or while they were talking but he went and took a shower.

By the time Mac was ready, he could smell something cooking. Even with that wonderful smell and after that wonderful shower, he still felt incredibly sleepy. He went into the kitchen and tried to look alert. Jo was standing at the stove. She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled. "It's about time you got in here," she said.

Mac raised his eyebrows as he saw how she looked in those jeans she was wearing. He walked over to the stove and kissed her on the cheek. "That smells good," he said.

"Steak and potatoes," Jo said. "Not to mention some good old Southern rolls that will just melt in your mouth…although they will probably make me gain ten pounds. I am going to eat them anyway. I will just have to work out more next week."

Mac smiled. He loved Jo's wit. He put his arms around her from behind. "How do you like this?" he asked in her ear, trying to give her the same chills she was always trying to give him.

"I like it just fine," Jo replied. "But you're liable to burn your arm."

Mac kissed the back of her neck and then let go. Jo thought her heart was racing. She loved the feeling of Mac's arms around her. "I hope you're in the mood for steak," she said.

"I'm always in the mood for that," Mac replied.

Jo noticed the tenderness in Mac's voice and how close he was to her. She glanced back and he was standing right at her shoulder. She could almost feel him behind her. She remembered that kiss they had shared. It had been quite fiery. "So what else do you have planned for tonight?" Mac asked.

"I thought we would watch a movie," Jo said. "I brought three that we can choose from."

"Great. That should be fun to snuggle on the sofa and watch a good movie."

"I look forward to that."

Jo would never have thought that Mac would accept their relationship like this. She had thought he would be too cautious and try to stay distant. Maybe he was ready to have something lasting. Jo thought she was ready. Ellie would be going away to college in about four years and then she would be lonely if she had no one. She was used to having someone around all the time. Maybe Mac could be the person she could spend the rest of her life with.

When the meal was ready, Jo and Mac sat down at the table. "This will melt in your mouth," Jo said, referring to the steak.

Mac took a bite. "Delicious," he said as he was chewing. He looked at Jo. "As good as what we ate at the Bull's Eye."

Jo smiled. "You're a flatterer."

"Everybody needs to be flattered sometimes."

"You are such a sweetheart."

"And you are beautiful."

Jo felt almost shy now. "Thank you. You're not so bad yourself."

Mac chuckled. "I'm not?"

"Oh…no. As a matter of fact, you're probably one of the most handsome men I have ever seen."

Mac smiled and shook his head. "I'm not so young anymore."

"Does that matter?"

"I don't know. Does it?"

"It doesn't matter to me. I'm not so young anymore either."

Mac looked at his roll. "So these are your famous rolls?" he asked.

"Yes. I guarantee you will like them."

"I just bet I will."

Mac tasted the roll and it was delicious. He thought he might eat more than one himself. He hardly ever got to sit down at his own table and eat. He was usually at a restaurant or at the lab to eat or he just skipped meals sometimes.

When they were done eating, they went into the living room and Jo took the three movies out. She held them up for Mac to see. "Which one do you want?" she asked.

Mac could not remember the last time he had sat down and watched a movie. He never had time. He could hardly believe he had time tonight. He looked at the titles of the movies that Jo had. "You go ahead and pick," he said.

Jo put her hand on her hip. "You just don't want to make any decisions tonight, do you?" she asked.

"Hey, I'm off tonight."

Jo smiled and looked at the movies. "I guess we will watch _Runaway. _Oh, I just love this actor."

Mac rolled his eyes. "Whatever you want to do."

Jo put the DVD into the player and then sat down on the couch beside Mac. She looked at him. "Whatever I want to do, huh?" she asked.

Mac looked at her and pushed her hair back. Then he kissed her gently. Jo put her arms around his neck. "I want more than that," she whispered.

Mac put his arms around her and gave her a passionate kiss. He reached and turned the lamp off so that only the TV was giving off light. "Let's not entertain the neighbors," he said.

Jo smiled as they lay down on the couch and shared another long kiss. Jo thought she could lie there forever with Mac's arms around behind her. She had forgotten how good it was to have someone else to sleep with and cuddle with. It was a lot warmer. She snuggled closer to Mac as they started to pay attention to the movie. Mac pulled her close to him as he was behind her. He could definitely get used to this too.

When the movie was over, Mac was almost asleep but Jo was not. She sat up. "I have to get home," she said.

Mac stretched. "I'll walk you out to your car," he said.

Jo leaned over and kissed him. "I would appreciate that."

Mac smiled and got up. They went down to the parking garage and to Jo's car. Mac kissed her. "I'll see you in the morning," he said.

"Good night," Jo replied and got into the car.

Mac watched her leave and then turned to go back up to his apartment. "Excuse me," someone said.

Mac turned around to see a blond woman coming toward him. She walked and was dressed like she was a very classy woman. "Yes?" Mac said.

"Could you help me with my car?" the woman asked. "I can't seem to get the door unlocked."

Mac looked at her a moment and then looked toward the parked cars in the garage. "Where is your car?" he asked.

"It's right over there," she said pointing toward a black car.

"Okay."

Mac followed her over to her car thinking that this was a strange thing to happen. He had not even noticed her out here when he and Jo came out of the elevator…but then again, he had been occupied with Jo. They walked over to the car and she gave Mac the key.

Mac put the key in the door lock and tried to turn it but the key would not turn. He thought maybe this was legitimate then. "Does it do this often?" he asked as he wiggled the key in the lock.

"Yes, it does," the woman replied. "I have to get it fixed but just haven't gotten around to it yet."

She flung her hair over her shoulder. Mac thought she acted very flirtatious and she was wearing perfume. She was wearing a short black skirt and a white silk blouse. She put her hand on her hip. "You're not having any luck either?" she asked.

"No," Mac replied.

The woman looked at him and then looked a little surprised. "You're Mac Taylor, aren't you?" she asked.

"Yes," Mac replied.

She held out her hand. "I'm Melinda."

Mac accepted her handshake but just as he took her hand in his, she came up with her other hand and sprayed something in his face. Mac jerked away as his nose and throat suddenly felt like they were on fire and he felt as though he could not breathe. He fell to his knees thinking that she had sprayed him with pepper spray but he thought this was something else. He thought he was about to pass out.

Melinda squatted beside him. "You might as well give in, Detective," she said. "That stuff could bring down an elephant."

Mac fell over onto the floor. The last thing he saw was Melinda leaning over him…


End file.
